The Minor Marvel Movie Characters Who Deserve More Screen Time

10 Little Marvel Characters Who Deserve More Screen Time

Ant-Man is the smallest big star of a Marvel movie yet. He may take up a miniscule percentage of the physical screen but, in his hero mode, he is the biggest name in the film. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, you don’t need to be on screen for long to make an impression. These characters only appear for a few minutes but they’re the ones you want to see more of after the credits roll.

Sif – Thor

Paramount Pictures

All of Thor’s pals were entertaining and you could very well include The Warriors Three here, particularly Fandral, who strode around like Robin Hood crossed with the dimmest of Shakespearean fools. Yet it’s Sif who is the stand-out of the group, not only because she’s a female warrior, a rare thing in the cinematic universe, but because she’s the one with the most character potential. She has a complex relationship with Thor and seems to be the smartest and bravest of her group, being the first to twig that Loki might be a bit of a bad’un.

The Collector – Guardians of the Galaxy

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

He’d be the dream subject for an episode of Hoarders. Played right up to the edge of over-acting by Benicio Del Toro, The Collector is the greatest of eccentrics in a film in which absolutely nobody is remotely close to normal. He gathers together ridiculous doodads from all over the galaxy, just to have them. There are surely endless great stories about how he came by his marvelous tchotchkes.

Ellen Brandt – Iron Man 3

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

A short-lived henchwoman of Aldrich Killian, Brandt at least went out memorably. A former soldier who was given the Extremis serum after losing an arm in battle, Brandt tracked down Tony Stark to the small town where he was hiding and unleashed burning fury on whomever stood in her path. She came very close to killing Stark, until he MacGyver-ed her with a microwave booby trap, giving her one of those great ‘villain notices they’re about to be blown up a second before it happens’ deaths.

The Howling Commandos – Captain America

Paramount Pictures

There wasn’t any logical way to carry on the story of Captain America’s WW2 band of badasses once Cap moved to the modern era – not that logic has always stood in the way of Marvel’s plans, cf. Agent Coulson’s resurrection – but we had precious little time watching these liberated prisoners fight Hydra with big guns instead of superpowers. Even their mere names were a pleasure – Dum Dum Dugan, Montgomery Falsworth, Jacques Dernier. Agent Carter got a spin-off TV show; couldn’t they have the same?

Heimdall – Thor 2

Marvel Studios

The doorman of Asgard. Kind of terrifying, kind of a grump, kind of a badass. He got a bit of a moment in Thor 2, leaving the confines of his little room to single-handedly bring down a Dark Elf ship, but the Thor movies could use a whole lot more Heimdall. Nobody ever complained about a movie featuring too much of Idris Elba.

Justin Hammer – Iron Man 2

Paramount Pictures

There could have been a lot more made of Hammer, played by the louchely charismatic Sam Rockwell. He is in effect the evil Tony Stark, a rival weapons genius who gives his creations to the bad guys instead of using them for good. He’s a lot of fun when we see him but that’s not nearly enough. He’s not dead, though, so we could feasibly get more Hammer time.

Yondu – Guardians of the Galaxy

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

When you cast Michael Rooker in any role, that character is going to stand out. Of course, if you make that character blue and give him psychic power over darts then Rooker has a head start. Yondu is neither hero nor villain; he’s just a man who acts in the moment. He kidnapped Peter Quill at the start of Guardians, so is responsible for all the bad things that happened to him, but also saved him when he needed it. Yondu is complicated and had better show up in the next film.

The Other – Guardians of the Galaxy

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Thanos’s personal aid, The Other is a patronising arse who delights in telling everyone that if they don’t do exactly what his master wants then they will be destroyed in innovative and unimaginable ways. His overly confrontational style is perhaps to distract from his revolting appearance, which he tries to disguise with an uncomfortable-looking facial apparatus and a big hood. He may just be in need of a long hug, but it’s too late now because Ronan killed him. Hard to mourn. Trivia: He’s played by Alexis Denisof, aka Wesley from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Senator Stern – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Stern, played by the wonderful Gary Shandling, first appeared in Iron Man 2 as the self-regarding senator who brings Tony Stark to court to insist that he hand his weapons technology over to the US government. It’s only in the second Captain America movie that it’s revealed Stern is a part of HYDRA, and a total letch who is sleeping with a 23-year-old. It was rather comforting to be given a proper reason to hate a character who always had a festering air of douchiness.

The Guy Playing Galaga – The Avengers

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The world is on the brink of destruction and one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. technicians is playing video games instead of focusing on the job in hand. Even after he’s ratted out by Tony Stark – way to be a dick, Iron Man – he goes back to pootling about on his game. What is this guy’s story? If he’s cocky enough to defy one of the leaders of The Avengers then he’s a man worth exploring further.

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